The occurrence of issues with the joints and bones of the feet and hands are well documented. In the foot, conditions of bone misalignment at the joints is very common, one of the most common is called a hammertoe. A hammer toe is a very common foot problem that can affect one or more toes. A hammer toe has a characteristic appearance as being elevated at the middle part of the toe, while the end of the toe flexes downward. While most hammer toes occur on adult feet, they can sometimes affect children as well.
The lesser toes, rather than the big toe, are where most often one sees hammer toes occur. Each of these toes typically has three bones (phalanges) and three joints. A hammer toe occurs when there is a flexion (downward) contracture of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) and an extension (upward) contracture of the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ).
A hammer toe is a toe that stays in a curled or flexed position. It can be caused by a muscle imbalance, arthritis, or shoes that do not fit well. Hammer toe can occur in more than one toe.
Several different kinds of surgery can repair hammer toe. A bone or foot doctor will recommend the kind that will work best. Some of the surgeries include: remove parts of the toe bones; cut or transplant the tendons of the toes (tendons connect bone to muscle); and fuse the joint together to make the toe straight and no longer able to bend. After surgery, surgical pins or a wire (Kirschner, or K-wire) can be used to hold the toe bones in place while the toe heals.
A number of devices or bone fusing devices have been developed to help hold the joint to be fused. These devices often employ a bendable or flexible joint and are configured in two or more pieces connected at the bendable joint. These devices are complex to make and difficult to hold in position.
The present invention provides a unique improvement in the fusion devices for this type of misalignment.